Upper Town (Haute-Ville), Quebec City
Old Quebec is a historic district located within Quebec City. It consists of two main areas: the Upper Town (Haute-Ville) and the Lower Town (Basse-Ville). This district holds the prestigious status of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is administratively part of the Vieux-Québec–Cap-Blanc–colline Parlementaire district within the borough of La Cité-Limoilou.
In 1608, Samuel de Champlain selected the Upper Town as the location for Fort Saint Louis due to its strategic position on top of the Cap Diamant promontory. Over the years, it has continued to serve as the city's military and administrative hub. Following the British Conquest, it was primarily occupied by British government officials and Catholic clergy, while Lower Town housed French and English merchants and artisans.
The military presence in the Upper Town limited its growth for many years. In the late 19th century, a movement emerged advocating for the demolition of the fortifications, considering them outdated and obstructive to urban development. Lord Dufferin played a pivotal role in convincing officials to preserve and restore these fortifications. Despite a decline and neglect in the 1950s, new construction projects revitalized the area in the 1970s.
Most of the buildings in Old Quebec date back to the 19th century, with some even tracing their origins to the 17th and 18th centuries. This historic district boasts several bustling commercial streets like Saint Jean, Sainte Anne, and De Buade. Within the Upper Town, you can find notable institutions such as Quebec City Hall (Hôtel de Ville), the Séminaire de Québec, the Ursulines Convent, and the Augustinian Monastery, alongside l'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec. Additionally, there's no shortage of hotels, including the renowned Château Frontenac, making the Old City a highly sought-after tourist destination.
The Upper Town also features various parks, including De l'Esplanade, Artillerie, Des Gouverneurs, and Montmorency parks, as well as the grounds surrounding l’Hotel-de-Ville.
In 1608, Samuel de Champlain selected the Upper Town as the location for Fort Saint Louis due to its strategic position on top of the Cap Diamant promontory. Over the years, it has continued to serve as the city's military and administrative hub. Following the British Conquest, it was primarily occupied by British government officials and Catholic clergy, while Lower Town housed French and English merchants and artisans.
The military presence in the Upper Town limited its growth for many years. In the late 19th century, a movement emerged advocating for the demolition of the fortifications, considering them outdated and obstructive to urban development. Lord Dufferin played a pivotal role in convincing officials to preserve and restore these fortifications. Despite a decline and neglect in the 1950s, new construction projects revitalized the area in the 1970s.
Most of the buildings in Old Quebec date back to the 19th century, with some even tracing their origins to the 17th and 18th centuries. This historic district boasts several bustling commercial streets like Saint Jean, Sainte Anne, and De Buade. Within the Upper Town, you can find notable institutions such as Quebec City Hall (Hôtel de Ville), the Séminaire de Québec, the Ursulines Convent, and the Augustinian Monastery, alongside l'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec. Additionally, there's no shortage of hotels, including the renowned Château Frontenac, making the Old City a highly sought-after tourist destination.
The Upper Town also features various parks, including De l'Esplanade, Artillerie, Des Gouverneurs, and Montmorency parks, as well as the grounds surrounding l’Hotel-de-Ville.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Quebec City. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Upper Town (Haute-Ville) on Map
Sight Name: Upper Town (Haute-Ville)
Sight Location: Quebec City, Canada (See walking tours in Quebec City)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Sight Location: Quebec City, Canada (See walking tours in Quebec City)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Walking Tours in Quebec City, Quebec
Create Your Own Walk in Quebec City
Creating your own self-guided walk in Quebec City is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Old Quebec Walk
The historic part of Quebec City known as Old Quebec (French: Vieux-Québec), sometimes also referred to as the Latin Quarter (Quartier Latin), is the neighborhood centered around Cape Diamond (Cap Diamant), located on the eastern edge of Quebec hill promontory. The area comprises Upper Town (Haute-Ville) and Lower Town (Basse-Ville) and is currently listed among UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Quebec City Introduction Walking Tour
Cresting a cliff above the St. Lawrence River, Québec City (French: Ville de Québec) is the soul of the province of Québec – a place all its own; a country within a country with its own traditions, architecture, and French-speaking population.
The Algonquian people had originally named the area Kébec, which means "where the river narrows", because the Saint Lawrence River... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
The Algonquian people had originally named the area Kébec, which means "where the river narrows", because the Saint Lawrence River... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Qucbec City's Historical Churches Walking Tour
The first religious buildings in Canada were established by the Récollets and Jesuits, in 1615 and 1625, respectively, when they first arrived in New France. Later on, the French colonists brought along their culture and architectural traditions, and the establishment of British and evangelical society triggered further major developments in Quebec City.
Over the course of the 17th and 18th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Over the course of the 17th and 18th... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Historical Houses Walking Tour
Quebec City, particularly evocative of Europe in its atmosphere, is often referred to as the cradle of New France. The city boasts one of the richest architectural heritages in North America, though most of its buildings had to be adapted to harsh winters and the lack of specialized workers and materials in the colony. As such, the majority of local houses were designed as simple and efficient... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles